We used to retrofit the Zinscos with copper buss bars. They worked well and had the advantage of being able to load balance. Nothing like a square D QO. I still work on a lot of 50 year old OC panels that are like new.

Excellent summary. I was just visiting my mother over Easter weekend. I heard about Zinnsco problems in the past and guess what that’s what she has in her house. She’s calling the electrician today I sent her this video just to reinforce what I told her already.

I was adding some 220 circuits in my garage for woodworking tools. I was out of space in my Zinsco box, so asked an electrician for advice. He suggested changing out the Zinsco for the reasons you mentioned, rather than adding a subpanel. I paid him to change it out, and watched him work. The rails were pitted, and I had a breaker that had arced so much it had stuck and no overload could trip it. I spent a little extra on a quality Square D panel more than 12 years ago, and never regretted the spend. That Zinsco panel in my house was an absolute disaster waiting to happen.

@abrelectric

Жыл бұрын

Seeing those pitted, burned rails is something to behold, right? Thanks for sharing your experience

@ronb6182

9 ай бұрын

​@@abrelectricjust to add we had replaced the main breaker because of the same issue. It had heavy pits. Also after that the 240 circuits had small pits after we removed the panel. What was strange but a warning signs the lights in the house had flickering effect slightly. When I went to ask a supply house about replacement parts they told me to get rid of the panel it was a fire hazard. One thing to add the Federal Pacific panel was another fire hazard. Mom and Dad should have replaced the panel sooner. But I installed the new square D QO panel with all the breakers. My brother helped me so the change over would pass inspection. The current panel had all the wires running down through the large hole at the top. We put connectors on each wire I wasn't or my brother wasn't sure either if the job would pass inspection so each wire had its own connector and hole. It passed with no return visits. I did have to pull a permit because I pulled the meter. I don't do live electrical work. Zinsco should have used tinned brass or copper for the buss. Aluminum is not the material to be used. Moisture and electric don't mix and aluminum pits when corrosion sets in. 73

Thank you for this exceptional video! Your professionalism is impressive and refreshing. 👍

Good to know ! I’m gonna replace a breaker and saw these warnings yours was the simplest to understand.

@abrelectric

2 жыл бұрын

Be careful! Not to be naggy, BUT turn the power off and test it to be sure. Good hunting 👍

@janinepannell

2 жыл бұрын

@@abrelectric yes I live alone and don’t want to die. Also a nurse. Can’t believe people do it without turning off main breaker. But I think I can do it just gotta buy right part 20 amp.

We had zinzco in our apartment. Water heater shorted out and tripped the breaker. I found the breaker tripped, turned it back on. Days later smelled a funny smell, opened the panel and the breaker had exploded/burnt. I can't believe didnt burn the place down. Owner saw and replaed all panels with square d afterwards.

I retire next year. Square d made some of the industrial load centers that are still used that were intalled before I was born.

...Hey, I recognize this guy! Greetings from California James :-) Great job on this video. 100% agree with you. Chris, Creico Electric

@abrelectric

9 ай бұрын

How you doing chief? How's your family?

@user-zk9yq5re2f

9 ай бұрын

So great- enjoying life at the beach and staying busy with electrical contracting. Hope you and yours are loving Texas@@abrelectric

i also noticed that the lugs and screws loosen up over time in these zinsco panels

Recently had an electrician out to do some outlet work. He looked T our panel and it’s a GTE Sylvania 1981 vintage. He said it needed to be upgraded and changed out. So, it’s going to be a bit costly, but he will be here next week and do a full replacement and upgrade to 200amp from 100amp. Doing research I find they are originally Zinsco style. Glad I got the correct info and having the work done.

@X2Jason

Жыл бұрын

how much did it cost

@BW12149

Жыл бұрын

@@X2Jason $2300 complete re-wiring from meter to panel. Now the panel meets full NEMA and city code for electrical panel, and is set up in the event we install a home generator. Worth every penny.

I recently replaced 11 zinsko and 1 fpe load centers. The fpe i am really surprised it still works. The stab connection was not in good shape. The zinsko boxes are a different story. None of them needed to be changed. Compared to square d and siemens, the bus bar bolts and nuts are a bit loose. But other than that, no issues after 50 years of use. The replacement breakers are expensive. For two breakers, i can buy the whole box and all the breakets in it from squae d or ge or eaton. If you have to hire someone, you may consider waiting for a remodel and get it done together.

I have that exact Zinsco panel in my shop from 1973.

@abrelectric

2 жыл бұрын

Classic. The Vega of panels :)

Older Zinsco panels had copper busses and therefore much better and safer. The spring tension of the breaker clips on a breaker that has never been on an aluminum bus is quite good and there is a lot of contact area between the bus and the breaker clips lowering the heat generated at the connection.

Zinsco panels can be rebuilt as long as the plastic is good... Twin thins usually 30 and larger breakers are usually what burn the bars

It’s true that the Zinsco design has a problem with the buss bar but so do many modern panels. Panels like cutler hammer br, murray, challenger, and Crouse Hinds burn up on the buss bar just as much as Zinsco. I don’t think there is any reason to replace a Zinsco until it has issues which could be a very long time considering many of these panels have been working fine since the 70s. When replacing qo is a really good panel that almost never burns up due to the reasons shown in the video.

@abrelectric

2 жыл бұрын

I agree, with the idea of planning to replace the Zinsco vs waiting for there to be a big problem with bussing. Thank you

@HsingSun

2 жыл бұрын

Agree!

@johnnyteague3407

2 жыл бұрын

Nope , I turned off a zinsco breaker to service a heater....the SOB CAME BACK TO 60 VOLTS AND SHOCKED ME....STILL WAS SET IN OFF POSITION. I HAVE SEEN VOLTAGE STILL TRAVEL THRU BUSSBAR EVEN WITH MAIN BREAKER SHUT OFF. I HAVE SEEN THEM NOT TO BE ABLE TO BE SHUT OFF AND HAD TO PULL THE METER BECAUSE BOX WAS SMOKING....ZINSCO ARE DEATHTRAPS .

@geraldholcomb2049

11 ай бұрын

My dad is a retired electrician and said that the buss bars were a common problem. He said that they used to replace the aluminum buss bars with copper buss bars and then swap out any bad breakers. That was in the early 90's though.

@ronb6182

9 ай бұрын

​@@geraldholcomb2049I don't think zinsco is in business anymore. Square D has been around for a long time. The early breakers had no trip window to see if the breaker is tripped but they still work the same . 73

I didn't see any difference in the way the breakers connect to the buss-bars except that the Square D doesn't use aluminum contacts and the breaker clips are tighter. Do the Zinsco problems vary with location? Mine is in the dry CA Central Valley. I recall replacing at least one Zinsco breaker and I didn't see any signs of arcing and it clipped securely to the buss-bar. I also didn't see any of the corroded aluminum like in this video. You can still buy Zinsco-compatible breakers, perhaps with different copper contacts. I had a different breaker box in Atlanta (GE?, forget) and the breakers weren't hard to pry off the buss-bar. Perhaps the main reason the Square D breaker here seems tighter in the wiggle-test is that it is much wider and has 2 plastic clip-in feet.

Good video I enjoyed it. Zinc and FPE are junk.

Thank you for the video. How do you pull out a 60 amp breaker (Zinsco)? You only need till and pull it, right? But it is so hard to pull any way.

@abrelectric

2 жыл бұрын

It is hard, ironically. The lug side comes out pretty easily. The other end is usually under a long clip, that can be pried back (carefully) with needle nose pliers. Turn off the power- there's lots of live parts in a tight space on the Zinsco

The only time I've been shocked as an electrician was from a zinsco box, and the only time I have seen houses burned by an electrical fire was from a zinsco.

@abrelectric

2 жыл бұрын

Wow. That is same bad juju

@theocraz176

Жыл бұрын

How many homes have you seen burned from this ?

@johnnyteague3407

Жыл бұрын

@@theocraz176 5 including Mattie Mallet's house two weeks before Christmas.....that's the reason Zinsco is out of business, in fact Farm bureau will not insure homes with Zinsco breakers and they will drop u if they find out you still have them. Some cases they will give you 30 days to upgrade.

@theocraz176

Жыл бұрын

@@johnnyteague3407 so it’s not enough to just replace all breakers to the newer versions ? I appreciate your replies, thank you

@johnnyteague3407

Жыл бұрын

@@theocraz176 no the breaker box itself is also flawed. If it is original,the old Zinsco breakers will start arcing and cause corrosion. If you replace them with new ones they not make a solid connection to the buss bar. Plus some parts are made from aluminum, with is a no no..

Our home built in 58 has a Zinsco. Having the panel upgraded to handle EV.

@abrelectric

Жыл бұрын

Awesome! If I may ask, what are you putting in?

Mine is only 11" wide mounted between 2 studs. Can't find any panel with that width. Doesn't have more space for 2 extra breakers that I need to add to my new kitchen. Really in panic mode.

@abrelectric

Жыл бұрын

Get a standard panel, and reframe the stud bay to a standard layout.

Hi I have a zinsco panel on a 1973 home. Worked just fine till now. I overloaded a circuit by accident (baby bottle sanitizer, water boiler, and electric heater). The power died on that plug but none of the breakers tripped on the zinsco. I tried moving all breakers up and down but the power is not back. That means the breaker is not doing its job right ?

@abrelectric

Жыл бұрын

That breaker is dead. You can only tell which breaker by using a multimeter to confirm voltage. At the very least, that breaker will be replaced. At best, you need to replace the panel - you've gotten good mileage out of it :)

@theocraz176

Жыл бұрын

@@abrelectric thank you kind sir. 🙏I think I should have gotten it done in 2017 when we bought the house. A $2500 estimate then will be what now in CA? I’m so excited to find out 😵‍💫🤣

The new Connecticut Electric repros often don't work outta the box new.

@abrelectric

2 жыл бұрын

Didn't know that! Thank you

Any concerns about a plastic board? Won't that get brittle, break, and need replacing sooner?

@abrelectric

Жыл бұрын

No. Still has a lifetime warranty. Have you used something differentiate for that peace of the assembly?

Why would one side of my zinsco box not work. One wire coming in is 120 v the other is dead or 0 v. Thx

@abrelectric

Жыл бұрын

Same voltage difference phase-to-neutral, at the main lugs, right? Do you have a main breaker? Is the service overhead or underground?

@ccarnut

Жыл бұрын

@@abrelectric yes, main leg coming into garage. It’s underground for main coming into garage

@abrelectric

Жыл бұрын

@ccarnut have the utility company check your meter socket or the ground vault that supplies the meter. A lot of times you'll have a burned up lug in the meter or a corroded connection in a ground vault

@ccarnut

Жыл бұрын

@@abrelectric it’s on my Sons house that he just bought. He had to replace the air conditioner condenser when they switched power and we think this has something to do with it also.

I have a Zinsco panel in my 1963 house

@abrelectric

2 жыл бұрын

Classic

@jonp.6131

2 жыл бұрын

@@abrelectric It has copper buss bars though...so that's cool. I'm still getting it upgraded to a Square D. I want to take my Zinsco and my neighbor's FPE panel and play around with them with on a transformer

Yeah but if you live in California and are taxed to death it's better to replace one breaker then to replace the whole thing. It's the difference between having power or being homeless. $45 to have power or thousands and then becoming homeless in a few months.

@abrelectric

Жыл бұрын

I have done lots of repairs to Zinsco and FPE panels to limp them along. You're right: there's ideal and then there's practical.

Federal Pacific is more like a "Pinto" - death trap

@abrelectric

2 жыл бұрын

Not a gremlin?

@allenshepard7992

2 жыл бұрын

@@abrelectric I could be wrong, but Gremlins never caught fire like a pinto :)